The Houston parent—child development center and the primary prevention of behavior problems in young children

Abstract

This study reports the effectiveness of the Houston Parent--Child Development Center (PCDC) program for preventing behavior problems in young children. The PCDC is a 2-year, intensive parent-child education program for children 1-3 and their parents. Low-income Mexican American families were randomly assigned to program or control groups. A follow-up of the program 1-4 years later, when children averaged 5 1/2 years of age, was carried out with 128 mothers who were interviewed about behavior problems of their children. A MANCOVA showed main effects for group and sex as well as a group by sex interaction. The principle result was that control boys were more destructive, overactive, negative attention-seeking, and less emotionally sensitive than program boys and girls and control girls. The program is seen as an effective primary prevention approach to behavior problems. Prior evaluations have shown that it also enhances children's cognitive skills. Other parent--child education programs should be examined as approaches to primary prevention.

Effects of early family/parent training programs on antisocial behavior and delinquency

“…Mothers of intervention children also reported lower levels of inattention and hyperactive/impulsive difficulties in their children at follow-up NI-Hutchings et al (2007) NI- Jones et al (2007) I- Fergusson et al (2005b) The mothers of intervention children that received home visitation reported that their children had fewer behavior problems at age 3 years NI- Fergusson et al (2005a) I- Johnson and Breckenridge (1982) Teacher reports at ages 8-11 years old showed reduction in behavior problems. A long-term follow-up of children who had participated in parent training programs in Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas (USA) showed few significant differences in their behavior problems and trouble with the law in late childhood/early adolescence according to both parent and teacher reports (with the exception of the early Texas cohorts) (1987) NI-Johnson (2006) I- Kitzman et al (1997) Fewer mothers of intervention children that received home visitation reported that their children had behavioral problems in the borderline/clinical range at age 6 years.…”

“…Based on the selection criteria described previously, all of the interventions were randomized controlled experiments. Most of the interventions (n=47) could be broadly classified as parent training programs, although some of these studies might have also included home visits (e.g., Abbott-Shim et al 2003;Johnson and Breckenridge 1982;Schweinhart et al 1993;Songua-Barke et al 2001), whereas eight of the studies were considered to be about home visitation programs as defined by Greenwood (2006) (i.e., the research design by Olds et al 1998, for example) (Butz et al 2001;Cullen 1976;Fergusson et al 2005b;Heinicke et al 2001;Kitzman et al 1997;McCarton et al 1997;Olds et al 2004b;Stone et al 1988). The majority of the studies were considered to be small sample studies, with 37 of the studies being based on samples of fewer than 100 children.…”

Effects of an outdoor education intervention on the mental health of schoolchildren

“…Others have however employed even more ambitious programs involving several actors (teachers, administrators, mental health professionals and parents) to change the structural and functional aspect of the school (Comer, 1985), or implementing a child development centre as a completely new setting supporting behavioural adjustment in school (Johnson & Breckenridge, 1982).…”

A Follow-up Evaluation of the Houston Parent-Child Development Center: Intelligence Test Results

“…Johnson and Breckenridge (1982) found that pro gram children were less likely to have behavior problems reported by their mothers. Fewer behavior problems in the classroom have also been reported for program children by teachers (Johnson & Walker, 1987).…”